Zimbabwe includes fresh faces in Test squad for upcoming fixture against Ireland

Zimbabwe has announced its Test squad for an upcoming match against Ireland, featuring some fresh faces. Clive Madande, Brian Bennett, and Johnathan Campbell are included in the 15-player team, along with Joylord Gumbie, who is yet to make his Test debut.

The last time Zimbabwe played a Test was in February 2023 against the West Indies in Bulawayo. They are not part of the ICC World Test Championship and will travel to Belfast for the one-off Test scheduled from July 25 to 29.

Craig Ervine will lead the team, and Sean Williams returns after missing the West Indies series due to injury. Williams is expected to bring valuable experience alongside other seasoned players like Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani, Victor Nyauchi, and Richard Ngarava, who are currently competing in the T20I series against India.

Among the newcomers, Bennett and Campbell have played only T20Is, while Madande has experience in both ODIs and T20Is. Ervine has played 20 Test matches, making him one of the most experienced players in the squad, alongside Williams, who has 14 Test appearances.

Zimbabwe's opponent, Ireland, has played eight Tests since their debut in May 2018 and recently secured their first Test victory against Afghanistan earlier this year. However, Cricket Ireland has faced financial issues, which may affect their planned matches against Australia.

The last Test squad featured Gary Ballance in what became his farewell match after switching from England to Zimbabwe. Several players from that squad, including Chamu Chibhabha and Innocent Kaia, are not part of the current team.